Friday & Saturday: Ready, set, hunt!

Easter Egg Hunt at Hugh MacRae Park: At 10 a.m. March 29, kids in 5th grade and younger should head to the shelter near the big playground at Hugh MacRae Park, 314 Pine Grove Drive. In case of rain, the hunt will move to the Community Center of Winter Park Baptist Church, 4700 Wrightsville Ave. Details: karagmiller@hotmail.com

Easter Egg Hunt & Carnival: Also at 10 a.m. March 29, the Battleship North Carolina Memorial offers multiple egg hunts, pony rides, a bounce house and other games till 2 p.m. Admission is $5. Details: 251-5797

Pancake Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt: Serious hunters should carbo-load at Silver Lake Baptist Church, 4715 Carolina Beach Road, during its pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. March 30 ($5). The church then hosts its own egg hunt and other games at 4 p.m. ($5). Details: 791-9171

Leland Easter Egg Hunt: For children 10 and under, the fun begins at 9:45 a.m. March 30. Children will hunt in age-divided packs, and refreshments, prizes and other fun activities are planned. Head to Brunswick River Park, 580 River Road. Details: 371-0148

Oak Island Easter Egg Hunt: Kids 10 and younger can also head to Bill Smith Park on Fish Factory Road in Oak Island for a free hunt that starts promptly at 10 a.m. March 30, so you’ll want to get there early. Details: 278-5518.

Friday & Saturday: Southport Spring Festival

Spring officially sprung March 20, and Southport is ready to party. The Southport Spring Festival runs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 29 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 30 and includes music, arts and crafts, food vendors, a plant sale and fun for the kids. On Saturday, $5 will let you be a tasting judge for the 2013 Chili Cook-off. Tasting hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The winner will be announced at 3:30 p.m. on the festival stage. Details: www.downtownsouthport.org/spring-festival

Saturday: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day

You know that bottle of drain cleaner that’s been under your sink since the Bush administration? Let New Hanover County take it off your hands safely. Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day runs 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 30 at Wilmington International Airport’s Customs Building (1987 Hall Drive) for county residents to drop off all sorts of things that shouldn’t get thrown out with the weekly trash collection. Car batteries?, motor oil, antifreeze?, mobile phones, pesticides, household cleaners, electronics (including TVs and computers, fluorescent tubes, fuels and more will be collected. Just leave the ammunition, medications, paint, tires and propane gas cylinders at home. Details: 798-4410

Friday: 2 kinds of March Madness

Florida Gulf Coast has become the most entertaining team of the NCAA tourney. But you can’t watch the Eagles’ game against Florida until 10 p.m. Friday. So get those basketball juices flowing by starting your night with the The Harlem Globetrotters at UNCW’s Trask Coliseum, 601 S. College Road. The dazzling daredevils of hoops start their show, er, game at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25. Details: (800) 808-8629 or www.uncwsports.com/tickets.

Sunday: Winter is coming … back

The conniving, bed-hopping, bloodthirsty, power-hungry and occasionally dragon-whispering characters of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” return for a third season at 9 p.m. March 31. According to the network, “characters old and new must navigate the demands of family, honor, ambition, love and – above all – survival, as the Westeros civil war rages into autumn.” Joining the cast this season are Ciarán Hinds, Diana Rigg, Richard Dormer and Noah Taylor. But really you should just watch to see what Emmy-winning Peter Dinklage’s crafty Tyrion Lannister says next.

About This Blog

The WAE: Wilmington-area Arts & Entertainment is dedicated to experiencing, discussing and promoting the arts in Southeastern N.C. From theater and all manner of music to visual art, dance, festivals and more, The WAE is populated by people who are immersed in local A&E. If it’s about A&E in Southeastern N.C., then we’re all about it.